The Kremlin notes the recent recommendations of the International Olympic Committee will have no impact on the preparations for the scheduled global football event in Russia

Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov

MOSCOW, July 20. /TASS/. Russia continues its all-embracing preparations for hosting the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the recent recommendations issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will have no impact on the scheduled global football event in the country, Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

"We are still on track of full-swing preparations for the World Cup," Peskov told journalists adding that FIFA also announced on Tuesday night that it was preparing for the much-anticipated international football championship in Russia as well.

The IOC Executive Board held a telephone conference on Tuesday regarding the recent report of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Independent Commission on the alleged widespread doping abuse and manipulations at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Following the conference the IOC Executive Committee announced a number of provisional measures and recommendations.

Among the announced measures was the decision that "the IOC will not organize or give patronage to any sports event or meeting in Russia. This includes plans for the European Games 2019 organized by the European Olympic Committees (EOC)."

Commenting on the IOC decisions and recommendations FIFA said in its statement to TASS on Tuesday: "It is important to clarify that in its statement, the IOC is addressing "all International Olympic Winter Sports Federations" and is referencing winter sport competitions."

"FIFA is currently in full preparation for the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and is convinced they will be successful events for fans and participating teams," the world’s governing body of football stated.